Since I am no longer majoring in education, I will probably not be seeing any of you again in my classes here at South. I hope you do well in your studies and continue to learn and develop your teaching skills. To the few that may read this, remember, as a teacher, you are everything in the eyes of your students, whether or not you, your students or your students' parents are willing to recognize. Act as such. You will spend more time with your students than anyone else in their lives. You will guide them, mold them, and teach them skills that a century ago would have been taught at home.
Signing Out,
Danielle Tasker
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
What Have I Learned?
Just the other day, I was telling a coworker about working in Google Docs. I explained how you can access it from any computer as long as it is saved in Google Docs under a specific username. I really enjoyed learning all that Google offered. As tedious as the blogs were at times, I did learn there is a wide world out there of bloggers willing to share lots of information under so many categories. I enjoyed learning about all that iTunes had to offer, as well. I had a subscription already to some language podcasts but I never realized the new direction that many colleges and universities are taking by posting so many podcasts on very specific topics and classes.
I cannot think of anything I would have liked to learn that I did not.
I cannot think of anything I would have liked to learn that I did not.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Blog Reflection and Social Networks vs. Blogs
For this blog assignment, I read over my classmate, Stephanie Ellis' blog. I chose Stephanie's blog because we sat next to each other in the majority of EDM310. We also worked together in our group podcast. It's funny to work next to someone and not know very much at all about them. Her posts are very well thought-out, as I expected, since she always completes her work thoroughly. There were some similarity of thought with our blog postings, often we agreed or disagreed for the same reasons. I enjoyed reading her blog posts because of her eloquent writing style.
In my podcast, Facebook as an Educational Tool, I discussed the problems with allowing students to access a teacher's personal information on a social networking platform. Facebook does not allow the user to control who sees and posts what on their personal page. This being said, blogs are a much more professional alternative to Facebook as a teacher with regard to keeping the teacher's personal life separate from the classroom.
Blogs are also much more accessible to students of all ages, whereas Facebook and Myspace require the user to be at least 13 years old to access the site. Many times, as Facebook and Myspace are discovering, children under 13 are still gaining access to the site and its' inappropriate material by simply entering a false birth date when signing up on the site.
One drawback of blogs that social networks have is that you cannot add networks or groups of friends to interact with on blogs as clearly and easily as with social networks, such as Facebook and Myspace. The networking of these sights has a double edged sword. As a teacher, using blogs prevents you from networking, but using common social networks opens up a door for privacy issues and inappropriate teacher-student relationships and access to inappropriate material all for what, exactly?
Blogs were a great idea in their inception, but their purpose for teaching tools are not so logical. As I understand it, the goal of blogs and social networking pages is to keep the student informed, potentially communicate with other teachers, faculty, and parents both in the local school and beyond. In the ideal world, the student would be able to access the teacher's blog outside of class for classroom assignments, online quizzes or polls, and new online postings or discussions, for example. In the real world, not every student has access to a computer. Even fewer students (middle school aged students and younger especially) have access to the internet, even if they're parents have internet access at their home. So the idea of having a place where your students can go if they need to reread the syllabus or were sick and need to see what happened in class that day to catch up just is not sufficient enough for the needs of the student.
In my podcast, Facebook as an Educational Tool, I discussed the problems with allowing students to access a teacher's personal information on a social networking platform. Facebook does not allow the user to control who sees and posts what on their personal page. This being said, blogs are a much more professional alternative to Facebook as a teacher with regard to keeping the teacher's personal life separate from the classroom.
Blogs are also much more accessible to students of all ages, whereas Facebook and Myspace require the user to be at least 13 years old to access the site. Many times, as Facebook and Myspace are discovering, children under 13 are still gaining access to the site and its' inappropriate material by simply entering a false birth date when signing up on the site.
One drawback of blogs that social networks have is that you cannot add networks or groups of friends to interact with on blogs as clearly and easily as with social networks, such as Facebook and Myspace. The networking of these sights has a double edged sword. As a teacher, using blogs prevents you from networking, but using common social networks opens up a door for privacy issues and inappropriate teacher-student relationships and access to inappropriate material all for what, exactly?
Blogs were a great idea in their inception, but their purpose for teaching tools are not so logical. As I understand it, the goal of blogs and social networking pages is to keep the student informed, potentially communicate with other teachers, faculty, and parents both in the local school and beyond. In the ideal world, the student would be able to access the teacher's blog outside of class for classroom assignments, online quizzes or polls, and new online postings or discussions, for example. In the real world, not every student has access to a computer. Even fewer students (middle school aged students and younger especially) have access to the internet, even if they're parents have internet access at their home. So the idea of having a place where your students can go if they need to reread the syllabus or were sick and need to see what happened in class that day to catch up just is not sufficient enough for the needs of the student.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Duke University: Center for Documentary Studies: "Looking Back: 9/11 Across America"
I was drawn to Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies podcast, 'Looking Back: 9/11 Across America' because it is the most relevant historical event (besides the recent 2008 election) for my generation. The first half of the podcast is comprised of people across the U.S. telling their story of how they came to understand the events of September 11, 2001.
This is my story: I was in the ninth grade at Gulfport High School. I was in Mr. Hart's Drama I class that September morning. Our class was taking a test and Mr. Hart left his office behind the stage and turned on the TV, mounted on the wall, at the front of the classroom. We looked up in shock. As the video feeds of the New York skyline were playing on the news, our class witnessed, together, the second plane crashing into the second WTC tower. The test was over. A new test would begin that day, that moment, when we, as Americans, realized that our view of the world would forever be changed and challenged. After about fifteen minutes or so of watching the videos replay in slow motion, Mr. Hart turned off the TV and asked us not to share with other classmates in other classes what we had seen. I felt sick. My brother was a freshman at American University in DC. His bedroom window had a majestic view of the Capital Building. A building which was in danger of being destroyed.
I really connected with people's shock in the podcast. As much as I disagreed with what was said by people in the latter half of the podcast, I know it is important to record people's thoughts and emotions on such a dreadful day in U.S. history. The worst quote, in terms of closed-mindedness was a man "I want them to bomb the hell out of Afghanistan. ... because this is the kind of war where there is no clear enemy and we need the support of all these different nations and if anyone is willing to get into the way because of their principles than they should be punished as well, just as they will be." I recall the 'go get 'em' attitude in the weeks following September 11th and it's interesting to note the massive shift in support of the war in Afghanistan and Iraq. I have lots of reasons as to why this happened, but that's another blog.
Overall, I really liked this blog, it helped me reevaluate September 11th, from a distance, now. I appreciate the opportunity to listen to the thoughts of others.
This is my story: I was in the ninth grade at Gulfport High School. I was in Mr. Hart's Drama I class that September morning. Our class was taking a test and Mr. Hart left his office behind the stage and turned on the TV, mounted on the wall, at the front of the classroom. We looked up in shock. As the video feeds of the New York skyline were playing on the news, our class witnessed, together, the second plane crashing into the second WTC tower. The test was over. A new test would begin that day, that moment, when we, as Americans, realized that our view of the world would forever be changed and challenged. After about fifteen minutes or so of watching the videos replay in slow motion, Mr. Hart turned off the TV and asked us not to share with other classmates in other classes what we had seen. I felt sick. My brother was a freshman at American University in DC. His bedroom window had a majestic view of the Capital Building. A building which was in danger of being destroyed.
I really connected with people's shock in the podcast. As much as I disagreed with what was said by people in the latter half of the podcast, I know it is important to record people's thoughts and emotions on such a dreadful day in U.S. history. The worst quote, in terms of closed-mindedness was a man "I want them to bomb the hell out of Afghanistan. ... because this is the kind of war where there is no clear enemy and we need the support of all these different nations and if anyone is willing to get into the way because of their principles than they should be punished as well, just as they will be." I recall the 'go get 'em' attitude in the weeks following September 11th and it's interesting to note the massive shift in support of the war in Afghanistan and Iraq. I have lots of reasons as to why this happened, but that's another blog.
Overall, I really liked this blog, it helped me reevaluate September 11th, from a distance, now. I appreciate the opportunity to listen to the thoughts of others.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Educaitonal Tools Podcast Improvement
The first podcast I listened to was my own group's podcast, the first podcast of the series of Technology Talk on iTunes, Facebook as an Educational Tool. My group members were myself, Stephanie Ellis and Jalisa Mobley. My first improvement was for myself: I say "you know" a little too often. For my own credit, I was having to speak off the top of my head about the short history and introduction of Facebook. I wish that we would have been able to keep up more of a conversational tone with our podcast. All in all, I would have to say that it was done well considering it was the first podcast we (our group) had ever done! Also, I like how our group discussed the professionalism of Facebook, and the problems that could arise with blogging.
The second podcast I listened to was another group's podcast by podcast hosts Theola Hines and Larrica Smith on Facebook as an Educational Tool. I like how one of the hosts was asking questions and the other student was responding. It was a little more conversational and lax than ours podcast. It seemed like talking over coffee and I enjoyed it more that way.
The last Facebook as an Educational Tool podcast I listened to was Allison Midgett and Shaundretta Bethel's. I could hear their nervousness in their voices but I did like how they had several applications that we didn't have. It provided some variety.
The last podcast I listened to was Adrienne Lynch, Joylyn Reese and Brian Stevens' You Tube as an Educational Tool. The group seemed a little nervous and each host did not speak very smoothly. They seemed like they either hadn't practiced or were nervous during the podcast. The podcast was informative, though. I feel they kept approaching the topic from the same angle.
The second podcast I listened to was another group's podcast by podcast hosts Theola Hines and Larrica Smith on Facebook as an Educational Tool. I like how one of the hosts was asking questions and the other student was responding. It was a little more conversational and lax than ours podcast. It seemed like talking over coffee and I enjoyed it more that way.
The last Facebook as an Educational Tool podcast I listened to was Allison Midgett and Shaundretta Bethel's. I could hear their nervousness in their voices but I did like how they had several applications that we didn't have. It provided some variety.
The last podcast I listened to was Adrienne Lynch, Joylyn Reese and Brian Stevens' You Tube as an Educational Tool. The group seemed a little nervous and each host did not speak very smoothly. They seemed like they either hadn't practiced or were nervous during the podcast. The podcast was informative, though. I feel they kept approaching the topic from the same angle.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Mathematics with Technology
I listened to both Mathematics with Technology podcasts by Judy Chandler of Maine Learning Technology Initiative. As I mentioned before, I am a visual learner and teamed with a rather (I'm being brutally honest, here) boring host of a math and technology talk, it was difficult to trudge through the nearly nine minutes (total) of podcasting.
Judy Chandler, however, did make some good points! Using computer generated visual aids for math students is a great idea for those non-auditory learners. (Maybe it would have helped if her podcast was a videocast... just saying!) Her strong points of integrating math and technology were: (and yes, I did have to write this down, luckily, she spoke at snail speed and I only had to 'go back and listen' once.) Some students "are unable to connect with the content" others simply succeed by memorization. Technology engages the student in a "multi-sensory, authentic, and collaborative learning environment."
As a teacher, I could use math programs to help re-teach to students who would like extra help or who appear to be struggling during 'down time' (if there really ever is such a thing.) I thought it was helpful that Judy Chandler offered access to her site in Maine that provided more ideas for teachers to implement technology specifically in math in their classrooms! I don't know of anyone who just never had to study math, never had to work the problems in the homework to do well.
I would also like to play devil's advocate here for a minute. I had a WONDERFUL math teacher in high school, Coach Campbell (yes, a baseball coach actually taught MATH.) He was such a great math teacher I took him for every math class he taught at Gulfport High School. He was able to relate the material (Algebra I, Algebra II, and College Algebra) in real terms that students could understand, and ENGAGED us in discussion about a problem. Almost everyone made A's in his class, and not because they memorized equations but because they KNEW the equations and executed math problems successfully. He just had this simple approach to algebraic problems and our class was successful without the help of technology. It is also important to note that sometimes technology can be used as a crutch for not teaching. Sitting a student down at a computer and telling them to learn is not teaching. But you already knew that ;)
Judy Chandler, however, did make some good points! Using computer generated visual aids for math students is a great idea for those non-auditory learners. (Maybe it would have helped if her podcast was a videocast... just saying!) Her strong points of integrating math and technology were: (and yes, I did have to write this down, luckily, she spoke at snail speed and I only had to 'go back and listen' once.) Some students "are unable to connect with the content" others simply succeed by memorization. Technology engages the student in a "multi-sensory, authentic, and collaborative learning environment."
As a teacher, I could use math programs to help re-teach to students who would like extra help or who appear to be struggling during 'down time' (if there really ever is such a thing.) I thought it was helpful that Judy Chandler offered access to her site in Maine that provided more ideas for teachers to implement technology specifically in math in their classrooms! I don't know of anyone who just never had to study math, never had to work the problems in the homework to do well.
I would also like to play devil's advocate here for a minute. I had a WONDERFUL math teacher in high school, Coach Campbell (yes, a baseball coach actually taught MATH.) He was such a great math teacher I took him for every math class he taught at Gulfport High School. He was able to relate the material (Algebra I, Algebra II, and College Algebra) in real terms that students could understand, and ENGAGED us in discussion about a problem. Almost everyone made A's in his class, and not because they memorized equations but because they KNEW the equations and executed math problems successfully. He just had this simple approach to algebraic problems and our class was successful without the help of technology. It is also important to note that sometimes technology can be used as a crutch for not teaching. Sitting a student down at a computer and telling them to learn is not teaching. But you already knew that ;)
Friday, October 31, 2008
The Stanford Challenge: Growth vs. Fixed Minds
The Stanford Challenge videocast was an 'experiment' about the capacity to learn. Two different groups of Stanford students were formed. One group was told that they had 'fixed minds,' meaning, they were not able to increase their capacity to learn. The second group was told that the brain is like a muscle and that the capacity to learn can be increased. The experiment took place over eight workshops (the groups were separated.) Information about study skills was reinforced to the two groups in the eight workshops.
The "fixed minds" group thought before a presentation were concerned about whether or not they would come off as smart or stupid. Their example was that intelligence is fixed, and therefore cannot be adjusted. The "growth" group came to understand that learning must take place to increase learning capacities. Their example was how no one laughs at a baby that is learning. Most interesting of all the information in the videocast, was that at the end of the workshops, the teachers could tell a difference in the students' performance who were in the "growth" group, even though they were never told about the 'experiment.'
From a teacher's viewpoint, I have practiced this every day I have been in a classroom. Thanks to Montessori training, I learned early on that if a teacher/parent/guardian/role model tells a child they are a bad student or incapable of learning anything than that child will do their best to achieve and earn that title. Children do not want to disappoint, remember. On the same hand, if a teacher/parent/guardian/role model tells a child they are wonderful and intelligent than that child will also try to achieve that title. It works in the best interest of everyone around if we have HIGH expectations for children and explain to them that the expectations are high because I/you/we know they are SMART! They can ACHIEVE!
Some teachers understand the repercussions of such damaging words, perhaps because they either overcame similar damaging words themselves as young children or because they were always told that they can do it, that they have great value. Those children, who were told that they CAN achieve, probably never learned the habit of telling children they CAN'T in the first place.
At the Montessori school I worked at August 2007 - May 2008, I corrected a toddler teacher when she called a small child, aged two years old, "Horrible Hannah." I stopped her and explained to her how children desperately want to seek approval from an established leader. She tried to argue with me, saying that she turned out just fine and her parents called her "bad" when she was behaving badly. (I will not get into her personal attributes that would clearly disprove her last ridiculous point.) I then looked blankly at her after hearing this and said, "Maybe I'm wasting my time on you. Maybe you're not worth my breath. Maybe you're just " 'Krappy Kristen.' " I believe I proved my point.
The "fixed minds" group thought before a presentation were concerned about whether or not they would come off as smart or stupid. Their example was that intelligence is fixed, and therefore cannot be adjusted. The "growth" group came to understand that learning must take place to increase learning capacities. Their example was how no one laughs at a baby that is learning. Most interesting of all the information in the videocast, was that at the end of the workshops, the teachers could tell a difference in the students' performance who were in the "growth" group, even though they were never told about the 'experiment.'
From a teacher's viewpoint, I have practiced this every day I have been in a classroom. Thanks to Montessori training, I learned early on that if a teacher/parent/guardian/role model tells a child they are a bad student or incapable of learning anything than that child will do their best to achieve and earn that title. Children do not want to disappoint, remember. On the same hand, if a teacher/parent/guardian/role model tells a child they are wonderful and intelligent than that child will also try to achieve that title. It works in the best interest of everyone around if we have HIGH expectations for children and explain to them that the expectations are high because I/you/we know they are SMART! They can ACHIEVE!
Some teachers understand the repercussions of such damaging words, perhaps because they either overcame similar damaging words themselves as young children or because they were always told that they can do it, that they have great value. Those children, who were told that they CAN achieve, probably never learned the habit of telling children they CAN'T in the first place.
At the Montessori school I worked at August 2007 - May 2008, I corrected a toddler teacher when she called a small child, aged two years old, "Horrible Hannah." I stopped her and explained to her how children desperately want to seek approval from an established leader. She tried to argue with me, saying that she turned out just fine and her parents called her "bad" when she was behaving badly. (I will not get into her personal attributes that would clearly disprove her last ridiculous point.) I then looked blankly at her after hearing this and said, "Maybe I'm wasting my time on you. Maybe you're not worth my breath. Maybe you're just " 'Krappy Kristen.' " I believe I proved my point.
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